I have been looking at the VP live online classes, and I think I may sign both of my kiddo's up for their Literature classes, and my older daughter will also take the Grammar and Writing course. This will free me up and insure that they are reading and comprehending. I will also do a VP self paced history and do some read alouds that go along with what they are learning. How does this plan sound? We have considered enrolling them in a small private christian school, but I am not sure I am ready to do that:( My almost 11yo is in competitive gymnastics and is at the gym 20 hours a week. I just think it will be too much for her to go to school all day, and practice all night. hmmmm so many decisions!

Thank you for your reply:) I am planning on doing Explorers to 1815. My plan was to use the literature that VP recommended and adding some Sonlight or HOD titles as well. I will also continue to have a read aloud going. My kiddo's ran into that spelling issue on the samples as well. LOL I may add in a geography course as well. Not sure yet. History seems to always be the subject that takes up so much of my time. I hate that!

I am considering the VP Self Paced classes for my 9 and almost 11yo... are they enough? They have done the samples online and they love them. I am stressing over history. We did HOD this past year and it just about wore me out running 2 guides, with an active 5yo, and I am working at home about 20 hours a week keeping books for my husbands business. I kind of feel guilty sticking them in front of the computer:( What do you add, if anything to the Self Paced classes?

I never thought about using the LL4 next year... but that is a great idea. I am only a few books in LL3 at this point, and looking ahead, I can see that it is rather advanced!! This idea may work. She will have history readers from Heart of Dakota as well. I am using LL3 for my very advanced 2nd grader. We plan to extend it throughout next year. However, my 10yo 5th grader is not as strong of a reader, so it should be fine:) I think doing LL7 would be way too much for this particular child!

I am desperately searching for something similar to Lightening Literature for a 5th/6th grader. I am a field tester for Lightening Literature Grade 3, and I LOVE it!! I just wish they had it for the rest of elementary! Is there anything that is similar? I have Drawn into the Heart of Reading, but I really want something that has comp. questions ect for each book, composition exercises, ect.... Does this exist?? Thanks! Jennifer

I will be using this program for my 6th grader next fall. I am wondering if my 3rd grader can tag along? I don't have the curriculum in my hands yet, so I am not able to really look at it yet. My 3rd grader is very advanced in academics, and sometimes I wonder if he gets things better than my older daughter. Would he be able to handle America the Beautiful? Or, should I just wait a few years and have him go through it himself when he hits 5th or 6th grade? My plan is to use ATB for 2 years and then move on to Uncle Sam for a year. Jennifer

I am in the process of deciding which online writing program to sign my upcoming 5th grader for. There are so many! I am leaning towards Expository Writing 1 with the WTM Academy... but as I was researching I found so many out there. Please share what programs you have done and why you liked them. Also, if your child took the WTM Expository writing class this year, please review it for me. This particular child needs outside accountability in writing. She gets so upset when I grade her writing. I really think having her take an online class will help her. I also feel like I am just lacking the skills to really teach her well in this area. HELP!! Jennifer

Thanks Ellie... LOL Makes perfectly good sense!!!

Ellie... I read on some thread while I was searching for Heart of Dakota info, and on one of them you said that you did not care for Heart of Dakota... I was just curious as to why:) I value your opinion and thoughts!! Thanks!

I am about to begin SOTW 2 with my 8yo. I just realized that I bought the revised SOTW book, but I have the old edition of SOTW 2 Activity Guide. I am planning on downloading the SOTW 2 Student Pages to make copying easier. Can I still use my old STOW 2Activity Guide with the revised student pages?? I don't want to have to spend another $30 if I don't have to. Anyone know?

Thanks ocelotmom!! Just sent you a PM!

I just got a fitbit and would love to be part of the WTM group! How do I join??? Thanks, Jennifer

I vote for HOD Preparing. It will be all planned out for you and it is truly a wonderful program!! We use CLE Math, and Rod and Staff English with Preparing.

Thank you kmom... Yes, it was very helpful!! I really just want to use CC as an add on. I figured we could spend 20-30 min on it in the morning, and listen to the CD in the car. I am glad you are enjoying Bigger! We have done Beyond and Preparing, and about to begin Bigger and CTC:)

I am using HOD and thinking about adding on CC. I would not be going to the community gatherings, but just doing the memory work. I may join a group next fall, but not this spring. Would this be too much? I really like the memory aspect of CC and I KNOW I won't gather and implement memory work on my own. I purchased the foundations guide and CD to look at and I really like it. However, I don't want to become overwhelmed or bite off more than I can chew. Advice? Opinions?

I am considering VP Self Paced Courses. What else do you add to it? Do you add the literature VP recommends? Are there any writing assignments? What does VP Self Paced look like in your home??

Thanks! Those look good!

I was going to start reading Across Five Aprils, but I have read mixed reviews for this book:( PLEASE give me some recommendations for a book to read for the Civil War... I am wanting historical fiction! Thanks, Jennifer

Thank you so much for your response!! It helped so much. My thought was to enroll them in Veritas Press classes later as well. I may do Foundations and then just take it a year at a time. I am not sure if I want CC to be in complete charge of the High School years... hmm

I am wondering if anyone here has had a child who has spent time in Foundations, Essentials, and ALL of the Challenge levels. I am seriously considering joining CC, but I need to hear from others who have gone before me. It "looks" good on paper, but I am wanting to know what it is like in "real life"!! Does this program prepare adequately for college ect.... or is it just a big waste of time with a hefty price tag. I like the thought of memorizing the facts, as I think that can come in handy in the future. But is it really??? So much confusion in my head. I DO like the community aspect of it. We are a part of a co-op right now, but the classes are not academic at all, and part of me feels like if I am going to take a day away from being home, then I want it to be academic. So I thought CC may be the route to go. Any advice, insight, unpopular opinions are welcome;)

I am using VP OTAE right now for my 8 and 10yo. However, after looking at Pages in History, I am thinking I would rather do the Transitions guide so I can get my 10yo through the time periods before she begins Omnibus. I was already planning on going through all of VP History periods at lightening speed. I would love to hear from people who have used this already:) Did you like it? Does it give a pretty good grasp of History?

We decided to go with Veritas Press.... Except we are not doing the self paced classes. So far, my history hating 10yo is loving VP! They love the memory song, and actually do not complain about the worksheets in the manual. We read the card, discuss, and read a book or a chapter about the topic. It is just enough and not too much. We spend about 30m a day on history. Quick, simple, and effective:)

YES..... I DO feel like everything must center around History! It is so annoying! ugh!! History is the ONLY subject that causes us issues, and I wonder if it is because most curriculums center EVERYTHING around it?!?!?! I vented to my 15yo dd who attends a Christian school, and she told me that she thinks my 10yo hates history because all it is is reading, reading and more reading all about history. She suggested just doing a textbook program with her, and maybe assign a few novels with it..... but just a few, like 4! She felt like I assigned WAY too many history novels and she never had time for fun reading. She said she feels like she is learning plenty of History at her Christian School with using a textbook.. they use BJU for History, but then use Veritas Press Omnibus in English. She encouraged me not to over do history!! She feels like a good over view, and even memorizing the Veritas Press timeline would be good, so she has an idea of what came when ect.. LOL It was good to hear her opinion:)) Don't you love it when your children give us parents a bit of wisdom?? My 10yo dd loves Rod and Staff English, Spelling and Math... she has looked at the samples of their history and loved the simplicity of it. I may let her do R&S history for a few years, then switch her over to Notgrass or BJU later. I am seeing that she just needs an overview of it all!

Thank you for the replies:) For SOTW, we would read a section, then read the Usborne and Kingfisher, do the mapwork and do activities occasionally. She is not a hands on person at all. She would rather just get the work done:( Myra.... I think you may have just hit the nail on the head.... this gives me a lot to think about. I was seriously thinking about getting her a textbook, and just letting her do it on her own, but I think that it would backfire on me. I think your are right. She does enjoy me teaching her still, and I hear so much about children need to be independent, ect... This just is not her at all! She is on the verge of being ready for deeper thinking, but is just not quite there yet. I am not quite sure what I will do with her yet, but we may stick out HOD Preparing. I will drop some of the stuff she does not care for. Any other suggestions are very welcome!!

She just says it is boring, or does not understand it. I think she is trying to get out of doing the work. When we did SOTW we would read a section... then do the Activity Guide, maybe look up youtube videos and read a few books. But, isn't she to old for SOTW now??